It’s an all-star Frotcast this week with such classic Frotcast guests as Kaseem Bentley (whose album, Lake View, is now available on Spotify!) and Jessica Sele. Kaseem, as always, does his best to get us canceled while we discuss all the most pressing events of the day, from the Chrissy Teigen-Alison Roman beef to female bodybuilder erotica to Save The Last Dance starring Michael Jordan and Julia Stiles to whether ladies should wear underwear when they sleep — for health reasons. We ask Jessica and Kaseem about comedy in the time of quarantine and how they’re coping, and… hell I don’t know, man. What do we ever talk about on these things? Sometimes the best Frots are the ones I memory hole the second we finish recording. As we like to say, whatever keeps the piggies fed.
The official title of Steve Kerr’s episode of DETAIL, the ESPN+ series that has served as an accompaniment to The Last Dance over the past month, is “Fourth Quarter Comeback,” but it really should just be “Another Michael Jordan Takeover.” The Bulls defend well, sure, against the Utah Jazz in the final period of Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals, but really, it’s just Jordan being Jordan.
The game begins with a feeling-out period, even though Utah and Chicago had just faced off in the Finals the year prior. The Jazz get a couple easy buckets for Karl Malone before Dennis Rodman checks in, and the Bulls are sharing the ball and running the Triangle to a T.
One of the most fascinating parts of DETAIL in recent weeks has been hearing each host’s perspective on the Triangle, the vaunted offense Phil Jackson and Tex Winter installed for the Bulls in the late 1980s. To Kerr, who’s used fragments of the system as the head coach of the Warriors the past six years, it’s simply about scrambling the defense.
“Any time the ball is moved in the Triangle, we had different patterns that we would run based on where the ball would go,” Kerr says. “When the dust settles, the defense is scattered.”
Early on, that meant finding Toni Kukoc in mismatches. Though Malone was a physical anomaly on the court against any opponent, Kukoc was too quick and versatile for the 1997 MVP.
“When you think about the weapons that we had, Michael, Scottie and then Toni Kukoc to create offense, (it was) just incredible to be able to go to him as a second or third option,” Kerr says. “That type of versatility was not common in the ’90s. He would have been an All-Star player in today’s game.”
In the second half of Game 2, Utah finds success early using pin-down screens between Jeff Hornacek and John Stockton, with Karl Malone play-making from the post. They were especially effective when Rodman was on the bench, but the magic of Jerry Sloan’s simplicity is that the Jazz were able to get their stars in position to score even without running anything special in the halfcourt.
Screenshot via ESPN+
Though Utah got out to a second-half lead, before long, Jordan’s scoring is simply too much for the Jazz. Chicago builds some momentum and then everyone gets involved.
“You got about one shot every 10 minutes of playing time in these games unless you were an All-Star,” Kerr chuckles, then adds, “those are some horrible sideburns by the way.”
The sideburns in question:
Screenshot via ESPN+
Ever the self-deprecating type, Kerr also highlights a few botched plays on his part, including a screwed-up back cut that he fails to complete after bobbling the pass away.
Maybe it’s the coach coming out of him, but Kerr cuts the tape to a hilarious close-up of a peeved Phil Jackson:
Screenshot via ESPN+
On the Jazz side, you can tell Kerr has real respect for them as an opponent, from the consistency and effectiveness of Malone, Stockton and Hornacek to Sloan, the coach. Many of the high post sets that Utah ran were similar to Triangle sets, and they exist in the Golden State playbook today, with Draymond Green in the Malone spot and Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the guard spots, their shooting and smarts equal to this great Jazz backcourt.
Speaking of Hornacek, Kerr shares a cool tidbit on his competitor, noting that part of the reason the small, lanky Hornacek was so good at getting inside and finishing was because he was a center in high school, even though he was just 6-4. All the little hooks and flips that Hornacek pulled out of his bag throughout his career were learned as an overgrown teenager.
Despite Hornacek’s strong game and Chicago’s offensive inconsistency, the Bulls, of course, win Game 2 and head back to the Windy City for three home games.
“We got what we came for, which is a split of the first two games in Utah,” Kerr says. “We’re heading back to Chicago for three straight home games, and we’re in the exact position we were hoping for when we flew to Salt Lake City.”
Sometimes the best new R&B music can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B music that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
This week, sisters Chloe x Halle deliver their grown-up R&B track “Do It,” accompanied by an impressive, gilded music video. Also, OVO Sound artist Roy Woods came through with his first EP of the year Dem Times and Ro James released his new song “Plan B” featuring the legendary Brandy Norwood. Check out the rest of the best new R&B music below.
Chloe x Halle — “Do It”
R&B duo Chloe x Halle ate the girls up visually and sonically with their latest release of “Do It.” Their rich and angelic vocals are perfectly layered over the track’s production, which is expected to live on their upcoming album Ungodly Hour on June 5.
Roy Woods — Dem Times
OVO Sound’s Roy Woods has been steadily recording in between Los Angeles and Toronto over the past year, and the result is a collection of tunes titled Dem Times. The 6-piece of passion and seduction features Roy expressing his version of love and how it feels to get lost in it.
Ro James — “Plan B” Feat. Brandy
Ro James and Brandy connect and take their time on “Plan B,” a track off James upcoming Mantic project. Mantic is expected to arrive May 29 with additional slated guest appearances from Masego and Miguel.
JoJo — “Comeback” Feat. Tory Lanez & 30 Roc
JoJo released her first album in a long time, Good To Know, earlier this month and now she’s here with a tempting visual for her standout cut “Comeback” featuring Tory Lanez with production by Grammy Award-winning producer 30 Roc. The steamy song is filled with JoJo’s and Tory’s healing sexual energy.
070 Shake — “Nice To Have”
Before we all were mandated to stay stuck at home due to COVID-19 having its way with the world, 070 Shake had her way with her sold out tour from the release of her incredible album Modus Vivendi under the direction of Grammy Award-winning producer Mike Dean. Now, fans can relive the moment with her live performance of “Nice To Have” at New York’s Webster Hall.
Reo Cragun — “Cuss You Out”
Reo Cragun is fed up. His latest single “Cuss You Out” is an expressive R&B cut that is equal parts rambunctious and brimming with elaborate synths and color. “‘Cuss You Out’ really comes down to the self worth,” the rising artist said in a press release. “It’s easy to lose yourself inside a relationship and this song was my wake up call. I’m a polite person, but when I feel like I’m being taken advantage of or my kindness is taken for weakness. I’m liable to remind you you’ve overstepped.”
Wurld — Afrosoul EP
Nigerian singer-songwriter WurlD has unleashed his latest EP Afrosoul via Platoon after much anticipation. Wurld seamlessly fuses the worlds of soul and Afrobeats to create a rich sound of his own. Nothing but good energy and vibes on this 6-piece.
Young Rog — “On The Road”
Young Rog isn’t letting a little quarantine get in the way of love. For his latest visual “On The Road,” off his upcoming album under LoveRenaissance, Rog shows how romancing still lives on under these circumstances with virtual Zoom dates and smoke sessions.
Bren Joy — “Henny In The Hamptons”
A year after the release of “Henny In The Hamptons,” burgeoning R&B artist Bren Joy is celebrating with an animated visual directed by Burn & Broad. Bren is certainly a voice to look out for as the new wave of R&B acts take over.
Natasha Elise — “Ride Wit Me” Feat. PnB Rock
Natasha Elise and PnB Rock came together for the R&B bop “Ride Wit Me,” and delivered a summertime-ready visual to go along with it. “’Ride Wit Me’ is all about living your life to the fullest and making sure your squad is down to ride,” Natasha said in a press release. “Loyalty and good vibes. No matter what, they should be by your side through it all. This song exudes good energy. I want my fans to listen to this song and just have a good time with their friends. Making this song and video was amazing and I couldn’t stop smiling. I hope that my fans keep on smiling through the song.”
Check out this week’s R&B picks, plus more on Uproxx’s Spotify playlist below.
As the pandemic has taken a major hit the live music industry, artists and venues are brainstorming ways to safely bring back in-person concerts. After news of a Denmark drive-in concert broke, DJ Carnage decided to follow suit. The DJ’s Road Rave festival is confirmed in Florida, and it’s a completely drive-in concert experience.
DJ Carnage is trying to make summer music festivals a reality with Road Rave. Carnage’s claims that the festival is the “first” of its kind is challenged by Germany EDM festival BigCityBeats. But Road Rave is the first four-hour drive-in festival taking place in America.
So far, the festival’s lineup includes DJ Carnage himself along with other producers Riot Ten, Nitti Gritti, and more. Carnage previewed the festival in a revved-up teaser video on social media. “I can’t believe this is actually happening,” he wrote.
After an Arkansas socially distant concert was postponed because it went against the state’s guidelines, Road Rave’s organizers are making sure every safety precaution is being taken. Attendance is limited to a 500 car capacity and festivalgoers must remain inside their vehicle for the entire event unless they wear a mask to use the facilities. Dancing outside cars is prohibited and the festival will have security on-site to make sure attendees are adhering to the safety measures.
While Road Rave is paving the way for future festivals, it’s also benefitting charity. A portion of proceeds from Road Rave will be donated to the ANF COVID-19 Relief Fund, which aims to provide assistance to vulnerable communities in Nicaragua.
Road Rave kicks off at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando on 5/6 with tickets on sale now starting at $40. Get them here.
Apple’s Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet will follow in the footsteps of Parks and Recreaction and Community by delivering a quarantine special shot entirely through social distancing, but with a twist: The episode was written, filmed, and edited solely on iPhones.
Similar to the Parks and Rec special, the one-off episode written by creator Rob McElhenney(It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) will lean into the characters who work for a fictional gaming company as they attempt to navigate lockdown life with mixed results. In a statement to Variety, McElhenney breaks down the impetus behind the special and how they were able to quickly produce it on the fly:
“Lots of workplaces are figuring out this whole working-from-home thing, and the gaming industry is no different. Virtual meetings are a new and special kind of hell, so I think people will relate,” said McElhenney. “Yes we’ve all had low points, but there have also been incredible moments of triumph and we wanted to celebrate that. We needed to shoot this episode fast without sacrificing quality. Thankfully, we’re living in a time when everyone’s got a camera in their pocket. Having an iPhone coupled with the ingenuity of our crew, allowed us to make this unique piece of television in just days. We hope people enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
It’s only fitting that McElhenney would jump at the chance to help bring some comedy relief during these stressful times. When the pandemic became a global crisis back in March, McElhenney was one of the first to publicly demand that Hollywood continue to pay the thousands of crew members who will be unemployed during the shutdown.
“This only really works if EVERYBODY makes the commitment to help” McElhenney tweeted at the time. “Just shutting down without a plan is not an option. I am so fortunate that I am in a position to help. I wouldn’t be here without the support of an entire community. No one in my position is.”
Mythic Quest: Quarantine will be available on Apple TV Plus on May 22.
Earlier this week, Katy Perry offered a glimmer of hope that Taylor Swift might appear on her next album, as she neither confirmed nor denied an upcoming collaboration in a recent interview. However, now it appears that, at least at the moment, Perry and Swift do not have a joint song in the works.
In an interview from before the release of “Daisies” (the new single that came out today), one of the hosts asks Perry, “Is it right that Taylor Swift appears on this new song, Katy?” She responded, “No, it’s not correct, but fans are definitely excited for something like that to happen in the future and I’m always open.” The host followed up, “So could she appear on the album, or…?” Perry answered, “No, not as of yet! The fans are so fun. They do search far and wide for easter eggs, and we do put them in our visuals, and in lyric videos, and music videos, and content that we create, but not everything is an easter egg! Some things are just… a flower!”
The two pop stars of course has a public reconciliation in 2019 after years of feuding, and Swift previously spoke about how they have mended their relationship, saying, “We have been on really good terms for a while. She sent this beautiful note and olive branch to the opening night of the Reputation stadium tour, a while ago, and from then on, we’ve been on good terms.”
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